c-ludenberg
ef3eb6112b
Update download section to reflect project status and clarify branding message.
119 lines
5.5 KiB
Markdown
119 lines
5.5 KiB
Markdown
# Antergos NeXT ISO
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[](https://github.com/Antergos-NeXT/antergos-iso/actions/workflows/build.yml)
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[](LICENSE)
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[]()
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[](https://archlinux.org)
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[]()
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[]()
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Both a revival **and** a modernization of the Antergos live installer ISO, based on the maintained EndeavourOS-ISO.
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Provides a live GNOME environment to install Arch Linux using **Calamares** — the mature, upstream-supported universal installer framework — with offline (GNOME squashfs) and online (netinstall with 8 DE choices) modes, and dracut initramfs.
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> *"I can't let you do that, Dave."* — Cnchi, 2012–2026
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## Why Calamares and not Cnchi?
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Cnchi was the original Antergos installer — a custom GTK+ tool that gave Antergos its identity. For Antergos NeXT, we initially ported it to GTK4 and fought to keep it alive. But after days of fighting with a brittle Python codebase, broken GTK4 bindings, and an ever-growing maintenance burden, the honest call was made:
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**Cnchi is not coming back.**
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| Reason | Detail |
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|--------|--------|
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| **GTK4 breakage** | Python GTK4 bindings were unstable; widgets broke on every upstream release |
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| **Maintenance hell** | Single developer couldn't keep up with Python dependency churn + GTK4 + systemd + dracut |
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| **Calamares is better** | Mature, modular C++/Qt6 framework, upstream-supported, offline+online already built in |
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| **Time** | Every hour fixing Cnchi was an hour not spent on actual improvements |
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### A brief eulogy
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Cnchi (originally written as a Bash script, then Python/GTK2, then GTK3) served Antergos from 2012 to 2019, and was briefly revived for NeXT. It was ambitious, opinionated, and deeply tied to what made Antergos *Antergos*. But the 2026 Linux desktop is not 2012 — dracut replaces mkinitcpio, systemd-boot replaces grub, and a single-dev team can't carry a full custom installer framework.
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Calamares is the big boy installer now. It works. It's maintained. And with our custom branding, offline/online split, and dracut support, it's more capable than Cnchi ever was.
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*Requiescat in pace, Cnchi. You did your job.*
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## Installer modes
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| Mode | Description |
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|------|-------------|
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| **Offline** | Unpacks a GNOME squashfs from the ISO — no internet needed, fast install |
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| **Online** | Netinstall with 8 DE choices (GNOME, KDE, Xfce, Budgie, Cinnamon, MATE, LXQt, i3/Sway) |
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The launcher (`calamares-next`) presents a zenity/kdialog/dialog GUI to pick offline or online mode before launching Calamares.
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## Desktop Editions
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| Desktop | Edition | Status |
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|---------|---------|--------|
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| GNOME | antergos-gnome | default |
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| KDE Plasma | antergos-kde | available |
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| XFCE | antergos-xfce | available |
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| Cinnamon | antergos-cinnamon | available |
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| Budgie | antergos-budgie | available |
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| Deepin | antergos-deepin | available |
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| LXQt | antergos-lxqt | available |
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| Openbox | antergos-openbox | available |
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| i3 | antergos-i3 | available |
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| MATE | antergos-mate | available |
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## Community
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Join us on Matrix: (uses pulsar's matrix) [#pulsar-linux:matrix.org](https://matrix.to/#/#pulsar-linux:matrix.org)
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## Download
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ISO images exceed GitHub's 2 GB release limit. They are uploaded to **SourceForge** (waiting for project)
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**⚠️ Early releases may have incomplete DE package lists.**
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## How to build
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You need an Arch-based system with `archiso` available.
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```bash
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sudo pacman -S archiso git squashfs-tools --needed
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git clone https://github.com/Antergos-NeXT/antergos-iso.git
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cd Antergos-NeXT-ISO
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./prepare.sh
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sudo ./mkarchiso -v "."
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```
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The `.iso` appears in the `out/` directory.
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## Custom packages
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The ISO uses the `antergos-packages` repo for custom packages (Calamares branding, keyring, mirrorlist, desktop settings, wallpapers). Add it to your system:
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```ini
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[antergos-pkgs]
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SigLevel = Optional TrustAll
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Server = https://antergos-next.github.io/antergos-packages/$repo/os/$arch
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Server = https://antergos-next.github.io/antergos-packages
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```
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## Sources
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- [EndeavourOS-ISO](https://github.com/endeavouros-team/EndeavourOS-ISO) — base ISO build system
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- [Arch-ISO](https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/archiso) — archiso tools
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- [Calamares](https://codeberg.org/calamares/calamares) — upstream installer framework
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- [antergos-packages](https://github.com/Antergos-NeXT/antergos-packages) — custom package repo
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- [Antergos wallpapers](https://github.com/Antergos/wallpapers) — original wallpapers
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## License
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[GPL-3.0](LICENSE)
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---
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## A Note to the "Branding Police"
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If you came here to hate and you're about to type "why are you using Antergos's branding" — pack your bags and go to **Manjaro**. We have Dustin's blessing. We are respectful. We are not them. Move on.
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---
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*Antergos launched in 2012 as **Cinnarch** (Cinnamon + Arch), renamed in 2013, and ran until 2019. NeXT *modernizes* it GNOME first, with the original installer experience and all the desktop choices you remember.*
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*Dustin Falgout, one of the original Antergos developers, has given his blessing for this community revival ([see NOTICES](NOTICES)). Antergos NeXT is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the original Antergos project.*
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